JP2000220950A - Food container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a food container in which the effect for sustaining freshness of food is enhanced by removing growth acceleration components and odor components efficiently and suppressing proliferation of bacteria. SOLUTION: While taking account of the fact that the growth acceleration components and odor components emitted from foods in a food containing space 8 stand on the bottom on the bottom thereof and the fact that various bacteria adhering to the foods drop onto the bottom of the food containing space 8 and proliferate thereat, arranging position an optical catalyst in the food containing space 8 is specified to facilitate contact of the growth acceleration components and odor components with the optical catalyst. According to the arrangement, the growth acceleration components and odor components are decomposed and removed efficiently while suppressing proliferation of bacteria.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food storage for storing fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits. This food storage is provided in, for example, a refrigerator used in a general household.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, some refrigerators are equipped with a food storage space such as a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, a vegetable compartment, etc., having different storage functions depending on the food to be stored.

In such a refrigerator, a single compressor is usually used as a source of cold air, and heat exchange air cooled by the single compressor is supplied to each of the food storage spaces from a separate ventilation path. By supplying the food, the ambient temperature of each food storage space is individually controlled.

[0004] Meanwhile, foods such as vegetables and fruits stored in the vegetable compartment release growth promoting components such as ethylene and acetaldehyde and malodorous components such as ammonia and trimethylamine, so that freshness tends to be reduced by these components. I understand.

On the other hand, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-2603
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 31 (1999), it has been considered to decompose and remove the growth promoting component and the malodorous component released from the food by using a gas removing device having a gas decomposing member made of a photocatalyst and an ultraviolet lamp. I have.

[0006] Specifically, in the above prior art, a gas removing device is installed on the ceiling of a vegetable room, and the air in the vegetable room flows through the gas removing device, so that the growth promoting component contained in the air is contained. It decomposes and removes odor components. The photocatalyst as a gas decomposing member decomposes a growth promoting component or a malodorous component into water or carbon dioxide, and is activated by irradiation with ultraviolet rays to enhance the decomposition effect.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned prior art, a gas removing device is arranged on the ceiling of the vegetable room. It is pointed out that the accelerating component and the malodorous component are difficult to efficiently distribute to the ceiling-side gas removing device.

[0008] In addition, the decrease in freshness of foods such as vegetables and fruits described above mainly progresses due to the aforementioned growth promoting components and malodorous components. In addition, bacteria and foods such as vegetables and fruits adhere to foods. The inventor of the present application has confirmed that various bacteria such as mold fall to the bottom of the vegetable room and progress by multiplication.

[0009] From the above, according to the above-mentioned conventional technology, it is difficult to efficiently decompose and remove the growth promoting component and the malodorous component released from the food, and since there is no countermeasure against the germs such as the bacteria and the mold, It can be said that the effect of maintaining the freshness of food is weak.

In view of such circumstances, the present invention enables a food storage to efficiently decompose and remove growth promoting components and malodorous components, suppress the growth of various bacteria, and improve the freshness of food. The purpose is to increase the effect of maintaining.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a food storage has a food storage space for storing food, and a photocatalyst is provided on at least a bottom surface of a wall forming the food storage space. ing.

A food storage box according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a food storage space for storing foods, a temperature control unit for controlling the ambient temperature of the food storage space, and the temperature control unit and the food storage space. A photocatalyst is provided on at least the bottom surface of the wall forming the food storage space and the inner surface of the wall forming the ventilation path.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the food storage box according to the first or second aspect, the photocatalyst is formed in a film on the wall.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the food storage box according to the first or second aspect, the photocatalyst is mixed in at least a surface layer of the wall.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the food storage box according to the third aspect, the wall for forming the photocatalyst in a film shape is:
Made of plastic.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the food storage box according to the fifth aspect, the plastic is made of acrylic butadiene styrene (ABS) resin or polystyrene (P).
S) Resin.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the food storage box according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the photocatalyst is made of a metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide.

[0018] In a food storage according to the invention of claim 8, the photocatalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the photocatalyst is a metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide that activates the metal oxide. It carries ultrafine particles.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the food storage according to the eighth aspect, the ultrafine metal particles are platinum or silver.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention,
In any one of the first to ninth aspects, adsorbent particles are mixed in a region where the photocatalyst is provided.

[0021] The food storage according to the invention of claim 11 is:
In the above-mentioned claims 1 to 7, an excitation light source for irradiating the photocatalyst with light to activate the photocatalyst is provided near the area where the photocatalyst is provided.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention,
In the eleventh aspect, the excitation light source is driven and stopped in conjunction with an opening operation and a closing operation of a food loading / unloading portion of the food storage space.

In summary, according to the present invention, the growth promoting component and the malodorous component released from the food stored in the food storage space easily stay at the bottom of the food storage space, and the germs adhered to the food are removed. In consideration of the fact that the photocatalyst is likely to proliferate by falling to the bottom of the food storage space, the location of the photocatalyst in the food storage space is specified, making it easier for the photocatalyst to contact growth promoting components, odor components, and various bacteria. . As a result, decomposition of growth promoting components and malodorous components,
The removal action can be performed efficiently, and the growth of various bacteria can be prevented.

In particular, if a photocatalyst is also provided in the ventilation passage between the food storage space and the temperature control unit as in the second aspect of the present invention, the growth which cannot be decomposed and removed in the food storage space and flows out. It is possible to decompose and remove the accelerating component and the malodorous component with the photocatalyst provided in the ventilation path.

Further, if the photocatalyst is mixed in the form of a film or the inside of a wall as in the inventions of claims 3 and 4, it is easy to implement practically at low cost.

In forming the photocatalyst film on the wall portion as in the third aspect, the wall portion may be made of a plastic such as ABS resin or PS resin as in the inventions of the fifth and sixth aspects. .

Further, when the metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which is most preferable as a photocatalyst, is specified as in the invention of claim 7, the above-mentioned effects of decomposing and removing the growth promoting component and the malodor promoting component are excellent. It will be.

Further, as in the invention of claims 8 and 9, if the metal oxide is used as a photocatalyst and ultrafine metal particles such as platinum or silver for activating the metal oxide are supported, the photocatalyst can be used as a photocatalyst. On the other hand, the rate of decomposition of the growth promoting component and the malodor promoting component by the photocatalyst can be increased without irradiating light.

Further, if the adsorbent particles are mixed in the region where the photocatalyst is provided, as in the invention of claim 10, the adsorbent particles adsorb the growth promoting component and the malodor promoting component and surround the photocatalyst. It is possible to collect, with this,
The photocatalyst makes it possible to decompose and remove efficiently, and the adsorbing action of the adsorbent particles is not easily attenuated. Moreover, in this case, it is possible to use a photocatalyst having a relatively low decomposition rate.

Further, if the photocatalyst is activated by irradiating the photocatalyst with light from the excitation light source, the action of decomposing and removing the growth promoting component and the malodorous component by the photocatalyst increases. Become. In addition, since the light for activating the photocatalyst does not reach the food storage space, a decrease in freshness of the food due to the light itself is avoided.

Further, if the operation control of the excitation light source is linked to the opening / closing operation of the food storage space as in the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the excitation light source emits light to a person who opens and closes the food storage space. No light hits. In particular, in the case where the light emitted from the excitation light source is ultraviolet light, it is not preferable for human beings and is therefore effective.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

In this embodiment, a refrigerator is taken as an example of the food storage. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a vegetable compartment wall of the refrigerator.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes the whole of a three-door refrigerator. The refrigerator 1 has three doors 3, 4, 5 in the vertical direction of a front opening of a vertically long rectangular outer case 2.
Are openable and closable, and have a substantially U-shaped cross section that forms three food storage spaces called a refrigerator compartment 6, a freezer compartment 7 and a vegetable compartment 8 inside the outer case 2 corresponding to each of the doors 3 to 5. Are provided. Note that a chilled chamber 12 is provided at the inner bottom of the refrigerator compartment 6.

Then, the refrigerator compartment wall 9 forming the refrigerator compartment 6
A heat insulating plate 13 is provided between the freezing compartment wall 10 forming the freezing compartment 7 and the freezing compartment wall 10 forming the freezing compartment 7 and the vegetable compartment wall 11 forming the vegetable compartment 8, respectively. , 14
Are provided in a substantially horizontal posture.

A vertically long gap 15 is provided between the inner surface of the rear wall of the outer case 2 and each of the outer surfaces of the refrigerator compartment wall 9 and the freezer compartment wall 10. Heat insulation board 1 on the bottom outer surface of part 10 and ceiling side of vegetable room wall part 11
4, a horizontally long gap 16 is provided. The vertically long gap 15 and the horizontally long gap 16 are communicatively connected.
It constitutes the ventilation path described in the claims. Note that a vertically long gap 15 is provided at each rear of the refrigerator compartment wall 9 and the freezer compartment wall 10.
Are provided respectively, and the horizontally long gap 16 is communicated with the vegetable compartment 8.

In a region corresponding to the vertical gap 15 behind the freezing room 7, a temperature control unit 20 for generating cool air is provided. This temperature control unit 20 includes a compressor 21 and a blower fan 22. The cool air generated in the temperature control unit 20 flows from the vertically long gap 15 to the ventilation port 9 a of the refrigerator compartment wall 9 and the freezer compartment wall 1.
In addition to being supplied to the refrigerator compartment 6 and the freezing compartment 7 through the ventilation opening 10a of 0, it is also supplied to the vegetable compartment 8 from the horizontally long gap 16.

However, the distance from the temperature control unit 20 to the freezer compartment 7 is set to be the shortest, and the distance from the temperature control unit 20 to the refrigerator compartment 3 and the vegetable compartment 5 is set to be long.

The outer case 2, the refrigerator compartment wall 9, the freezer compartment wall 10, and the vegetable compartment wall 11 are made of plastic such as acrylic butadiene styrene (ABS) resin or polystyrene (PS) resin. However, it can be formed of metal. By the way, in this embodiment, the film 30 containing a photocatalyst is coated on the entire inner surface of the above-mentioned vegetable compartment wall 11.

As shown exaggeratedly in FIG. 2, the film 30 has a composition in which a photocatalyst 32 and an adsorbent 33 are mixed with a binder 31 at a required ratio. The film 30 is coated with a solvent in which a photocatalyst 32 and an adsorbent 33 are mixed in a required ratio with a binder 31, for example, on a coating target portion,
It is formed by drying. In addition, examples of the method of forming the film 30 include a spray method, a dipping method, and a sputter deposition method.

Specifically, the above-mentioned binder 31 is, for example, silica-based, silicon-based, or fluororesin-based.

The above-mentioned photocatalyst 32 has metal ultrafine particles carrying metal ultrafine particles having an effect of activating the metal oxide fine particles, and is irradiated with excitation light such as ultraviolet rays as in the conventional example. Decompose required gas components even if not
It is to be removed. Examples of the metal oxide fine particles include titanium oxide and zinc oxide. For example, the metal oxide fine particles have a crystal structure called a rutile type and have an average particle diameter of 70 n.
m is preferably titanium dioxide. Examples of the ultrafine metal particles include platinum and silver. The average particle diameter is set in the range of 1 to 10 nm, and the average number of particles supported per metal oxide fine particle is 1.
The number is preferably at least 00.

The adsorbent 33 can be, for example, activated carbon or zeolite. This adsorbent 33 and titanium oxide as the metal oxide fine particles
For example, the mixing ratio is 1: 1.

In the membrane 30 as described above, the growth promoting component and the malodorous component released from the food in the vegetable compartment 8 are absorbed by the adsorbent 33.
The photocatalyst 32 near the adsorbent 33 decomposes and removes the growth promoting component and the malodorous component adsorbed and collected by the adsorbent 33. In addition, when bacteria and fungi such as molds attached to foods such as vegetables and fruits stored in the vegetable compartment 8 fall to the bottom of the vegetable compartment 8, the membrane 30 prevents the bacteria from growing. prevent. From such a thing,
The growth (aging) of the food stored in the vegetable room 8 can be suppressed, and the freshness of the food can be maintained for a long time.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiment, and various applications and modifications are conceivable.

(1) In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the film 30 includes the photocatalyst 32 in which the metal ultra-fine particles are supported and the adsorbent 33, but the metal ultra-fine particles are mixed without the adsorbent 33. May be configured to include only the photocatalyst 32 carrying the.

(2) In the above embodiment, the example in which the membrane 20 is formed only on the wall 11 of the vegetable compartment is described. However, the inner surface of the wall 9 of the refrigerator compartment or the wall 10 of the freezer compartment, or the vertically long ventilation duct. It can also be formed on the wall surface forming the gap 15 or the horizontally long gap 16.

(3) In the above embodiment, the refrigerator compartment wall 9,
Although the film 30 containing the photocatalyst 32 is formed so as to cover the inner surfaces of the freezer compartment wall 10 and the vegetable compartment wall 11, at least the photocatalyst 32 is applied to the material itself of each of the walls 9, 10 and 11. They may be mixed. In this case, a step for forming the film 30 as described in the above embodiment can be omitted.

(4) In the above embodiment, for example, FIG.
As shown in (1), the gas removing device 40 may be provided at a position close to the opening on the vegetable compartment 8 side in the horizontally long gap 16 as a ventilation path. The gas removing device 40 includes a case 41 and an excitation light source 42 such as an ultraviolet lamp. In two places of this case 41, ventilation opening 43,
44, and a film 4 containing a photocatalyst on the inner surface.
5 are coated. The excitation light source 42 activates a photocatalyst included in the film 45 and is provided at the center inside the case 41. The photocatalyst contained in the film 45 in this example does not need to have a configuration in which ultrafine metal particles are supported as described in the above embodiment, and may be, for example, titanium oxide or zinc oxide. In this embodiment, the growth-promoting component and the malodorous component released from foods such as vegetables and fruits stored in the vegetable compartment 8 are combined with the film 30 in the vegetable compartment 8 and
Since it is decomposed and removed by the gas removing device 40 provided in the horizontally long gap 16, it is effective in maintaining freshness of the food.

(5) In the above embodiment (4), the operation control of the excitation light source 42 of the gas removing device 40 can be linked to the opening and closing operation of the door 5 of the vegetable room 8. For example, the excitation light source 42 is turned off when the door 5 is opened, and the excitation light source 42 is turned on when the door 5 is closed. In this case, for the person who opens and closes the door 5 of the vegetable room 8, the excitation light source 42 of the gas removing device 40 is
Light such as ultraviolet rays emitted from the light beam does not shine, and can be prevented from adversely affecting humans.

[0051]

According to the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, the growth promoting component and the malodorous component released from the food stored in the food storage space can be efficiently decomposed and removed, and the food storage space is stored in the food storage space. Can prevent the growth of various bacteria falling from the food.

In particular, if a photocatalyst is also provided in the ventilation path between the food storage space and the temperature control unit as in the second aspect of the present invention, the growth that has flowed out without being decomposed and removed in the food storage space. It is possible to decompose and remove the accelerating component and the malodorous component with the photocatalyst provided in the ventilation path.

Further, if the photocatalyst is mixed in the form of a film or the inside of a wall as in the inventions of claims 3 and 4, it is easy to implement practically at low cost.

When the photocatalyst film is formed on the wall as in the third aspect, the wall can be made of plastic such as ABS resin or PS resin as in the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention. .

Further, when the metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which is most preferable as a photocatalyst, is specified as in the invention of claim 7, the above-mentioned effects of decomposing and removing the growth promoting component and the malodor promoting component are excellent. It will be.

Further, as in the invention of claims 8 and 9, if a metal oxide is used as a photocatalyst and ultrafine metal particles such as platinum or silver for activating the metal oxide are supported, the photocatalyst can be used. On the other hand, the rate of decomposition of the growth promoting component and the malodor promoting component by the photocatalyst can be increased without irradiating light.

Further, if the adsorbent particles are mixed in the region where the photocatalyst is provided as in the invention of claim 10, the adsorbent particles adsorb the growth-promoting component and the malodor-promoting component, and surround the photocatalyst. It is possible to collect, with this,
The photocatalyst makes it possible to decompose and remove efficiently, and the adsorbing action of the adsorbent particles is not easily attenuated. Moreover, in this case, it is possible to use a photocatalyst having a relatively low decomposition rate.

Further, when the photocatalyst is activated by irradiation with light from an excitation light source as in the invention of claim 11, the action of decomposing and removing the growth promoting component and the malodorous component by the photocatalyst is increased. . In addition, since the light for activating the photocatalyst does not reach the food storage space, a decrease in freshness of the food due to the light itself is avoided.

Further, if the operation control of the excitation light source is linked to the opening and closing operation of the food storage space as in the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the excitation light source emits light to a person who opens and closes the food storage space. No light hits. In particular, when the light emitted from the excitation light source is ultraviolet light, this ultraviolet light can be prevented from being applied to a person who opens the food storage space, so that no adverse effect is given to the human. And so on.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a vegetable compartment wall of the refrigerator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a gas removing device provided in an air passage of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Outer case 3-5 Door 6 Refrigerator room 7 Freezer room 8 Vegetable room 9 Refrigerator room wall 10 Freezer room wall 11 Vegetable room wall 15 Vertical gap as ventilation path 16 Horizontal gap as ventilation path 20 Temperature control Unit 21 Compressor of temperature control unit 22 Blower fan 30 Membrane 32 Photocatalyst 33 Adsorbent

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A food storage having a food storage space for storing food, wherein a photocatalyst is provided on at least a bottom surface of a wall forming the food storage space. 2. A food storage space for storing food, a temperature control unit for controlling an ambient temperature of the food storage space, and a ventilation path for communicating and connecting the temperature control unit and the food storage space. At least the bottom surface of the wall forming the food storage space,
A food storage box, wherein a photocatalyst is provided on an inner surface of a wall portion forming the ventilation path. 3. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst is formed in a film shape on the wall. 4. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst is mixed in at least a surface portion of the wall. 5. The food storage according to claim 3, wherein the wall for forming the photocatalyst in the form of a film is made of plastic. 6. The food storage box according to claim 5, wherein said plastic is acrylic butadiene styrene (A
BS) resin or polystyrene (PS) resin,
Food storage, characterized by that. 7. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst is made of a metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide. 8. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst carries a metal oxide such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide and ultra-fine metal particles for activating the metal oxide. There is a food storage box. 9. The food storage according to claim 8, wherein said ultrafine metal particles are platinum or silver. 10. The food storage according to claim 1, wherein adsorbent particles are mixed in a region where the photocatalyst is provided. 11. The food storage box according to claim 1, wherein an excitation light source for irradiating the photocatalyst with light to activate the photocatalyst is provided in the vicinity of the area where the photocatalyst is provided. Food storage. 12. The food storage box according to claim 11, wherein the excitation light source is driven and stopped in conjunction with an opening operation and a closing operation of a food loading / unloading section of the food storage space. Food storage.